Belgians tweet cat pics in following orders not to reveal police action
With a lockdown limiting their options, people turned to an internet staple: feline photos
As Brussels residents enter their third day under lockdown, Belgian police have asked them not to tweet about any police action they see in the streets or near their homes.
Police are asking the public not to report their movements on social media, please support & rt <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockdown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockdown</a>
—@svandeputBut with the subway and schools closed, it limits people's options on things they can tweet. So the internet settled on what it knows best: cat photos. People flooded #BrusselsLockdown hashtag with cats following the rules, cats getting a little in over their heads or cats just being commonly cute felines.
Post cat pics, not police movements <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockdown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockdown</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BelgianSurrealism?src=hash">#BelgianSurrealism</a> <a href="https://t.co/GYfzY65Qof">pic.twitter.com/GYfzY65Qof</a>
—@yvesalexandreRaids are taking place. Authorities asked not tweet. So people tweet cat picts. Love my people <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockDown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockDown</a> <a href="https://t.co/uQwS3M8LyV">pic.twitter.com/uQwS3M8LyV</a>
—@FredericJacobsMany of the photos were in solidarity of the raids from those experiencing the lockdown first-hand.
We must not let fear win… <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockDown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockDown</a> <a href="https://t.co/GAr5YGpkGz">pic.twitter.com/GAr5YGpkGz</a>
—@maiolsanaujaPeace & humor are signs of true strength. Guns & violence are signs of true weakness. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockdown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockdown</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lolcats?src=hash">#lolcats</a> <a href="https://t.co/aFTESxcsrl">pic.twitter.com/aFTESxcsrl</a>
—@keljnicMore showed cats misbehaving
Residents told to stay away from windows. Not sure they got the message <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockdown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockdown</a> <a href="https://t.co/kv3Mosk5mZ">pic.twitter.com/kv3Mosk5mZ</a>
—@m_albaniaStay inside they said. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockdown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockdown</a> <a href="https://t.co/hpAfV417Hf">pic.twitter.com/hpAfV417Hf</a>
—@SenficonThe photos occasionally mention Belgian surrealism, an art movement with which the country has a rich history. Belgian artist René Magritte painted The Trechery of Images — a smoking pipe with the words "This is not a pipe" in French.
Still, maybe some of these cats got in over their heads.
Major police operation underway in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockdown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockdown</a> <a href="https://t.co/DUZwfi0lOO">pic.twitter.com/DUZwfi0lOO</a>
—@towersightBREAKING: Belgian police have released a photograph of the main supect <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockdown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockdown</a> <a href="https://t.co/8FDAjZglZn">pic.twitter.com/8FDAjZglZn</a>
—@jflamman<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockdown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockdown</a> - because we can't hear your terrorism over the sound of our kittehs <a href="https://t.co/c0F2y9PlMz">pic.twitter.com/c0F2y9PlMz</a>
—@drhingramA contingent of the cats had seemingly joined up with an empire from a galaxy far, far away.
May the force be with us. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockdown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockdown</a> <a href="https://t.co/m9OuEVhfXS">pic.twitter.com/m9OuEVhfXS</a>
—@TineEeckhoutBREAKING NEWS : Belgium Police using the new 200mph Hovercat during terrorist operations <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockdown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockdown</a> <a href="https://t.co/MnIpiOZT3x">pic.twitter.com/MnIpiOZT3x</a>
—@jaycelightSome of the cats went on raids of their own.
Belgian Special Forces cats on operation earlier today <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockdown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockdown</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ct16qobl4A">pic.twitter.com/Ct16qobl4A</a>
—@AndyGilderCats taking over from police in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockdown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockdown</a> operations. Never doubt Belgian surrealism. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsAlert?src=hash">#BrusselsAlert</a> <a href="https://t.co/bphlqU79Lg">pic.twitter.com/bphlqU79Lg</a>
—@daneallagunoOver the weekend, authorities arrested 21 people after police ran 19 raids. As the raids continue into today, the Canadian government said its embassy will be closed until further notice. The police and troops remain on the streets of the Belgian capital in search of one or more suspected extremists, including Salah Abdeslam, who has been named a suspect in the Paris attacks.
So people and cats for the most part have been trying to relax.
In the mean time in Belgium .. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockdown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockdown</a> <a href="https://t.co/G6nEvli3o8">pic.twitter.com/G6nEvli3o8</a>
—@JustElisabetta(Unless they're dog people.)
I'm more a dog person. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/rememberdiesel?src=hash">#rememberdiesel</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockdown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockdown</a> <a href="https://t.co/f310nBoO6M">pic.twitter.com/f310nBoO6M</a>
—@JoulsAnd show a little support for the country in which they reside and the surrealism that inspired them.
Belgian surrealism at its best. People posting cats on twitter to confuse the terrorists. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrusselsLockdown?src=hash">#BrusselsLockdown</a> <a href="https://t.co/KuNZBmUGuK">pic.twitter.com/KuNZBmUGuK</a>
—@womfleming